Freed to live through the death of another.

Tag: abortion

What Do You Think?

It’s been a violent year or so, hasn’t it? It seems like everywhere we turn there is more news of more horror and more violence. Why? Where does it come from?

If you ask 100 different people, you’ll probably get 100 different answers as to why there is so much violence in our society. To be sure, it is a complex issue and there are many factors involved in every act of violence that appears on our newsfeed.

In looking for root causes, we must always be wary of over-simplification and sweeping statements. Nevertheless, some factors are more important than others — even if they are not immediately obvious.

Mother Teresa’s Take

In 1994, Mother Teresa gave an historic speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC. In it she sought to answer, ‘What is the great destroyer of peace and bringer of violence?’

If our country were consistent there would be no law about seatbelts. Instead we would proudly acknowledge that as defenders of human rights, we believe in a ‘driver’s right to choose.’ Why should life be valued more than the freedom of choice? Why should the governing authorities get to determine what the driver does with their own body?

In fact, we could take it even further. If we were really, truly consistent, we should argue that passengers in a car have no rights to seatbelts — unless, of course, the driver chooses to let them use one. After all, the passengers are not their own entities, but merely ‘attachments’ to the driver’s automobile. We should not hinder the driver’s freedom for the sake of the life of the passengers.

Really, the passenger should forfeit human rights. After all, they couldn’t live apart from the driver’s protection of them. If the driver chooses to, he or she can end the lives of the passengers at any moment (cliffs, posts, and oncoming traffic could all do the trick).

This should especially apply in the case of passengers who are unwanted, unliked, and make life more difficult for the driver. Of course, the driver could have just never picked up any passengers… but why would we talk about responsibility? We’re far too busy talking about rights to talk about responsibility.

Can you imagine a scenario where people in some far off country are being systematically wiped out? Imagine millions of people being killed by the government and the news of it being hushed, downplayed, and spun by the media so that the massacre can continue.

It sounds tragic, right?

Now imagine that the conspiracy was uncovered, the statistics of death made public, and the ugly truth of the killing of innocent people in government run and funded processes was exposed…. There would be outrage, right? Calls to reform? We would storm in with vitriol, passionate to save the lives of the innocents and to restore justice for the weak who are being eliminated! Right?

You would think that would be the case. Unless the tragedy is happening in Canada and the people being killed are not really people… because they’re babies.

According to our country’s criminal code, unborn babies are not classed as ‘human’ and therefore anyone in our country can do anything they like to unborn babies. Any abortion, any time, any means. Even a bullet from a gun.

One brave MP, Stephen Woodworth, has brought forward Motion 312 in an attempt to evaluate that law (which excludes unborn babies from being classed as ‘human’) and possibly change it. Every major political party has denounced this action.

Our MPs need to hear from those who care that unborn children ought to be protected under law the same way we are. They need to hear from you. With the lives of millions of unborn children in the balance, silence is not an option and ignorance is not an excuse. We Canadians must speak up.

Here’s what you should do. Go to Pass312.org, sign up for their list, and get involved. All the information you need to join the cause is given there. You don’t have to do any research. You just have to care enough to sign up and make your voice heard.

Let’s not be those people who stand by passively or throw up our hands in defeat while humans are dying when it is in our power to do something about it. Jesus didn’t.

Admittedly, it’s a strange way to start a film. Particularly a documentary on abortion. But this movie is powerful. It speaks to a desperately important issue and it speaks with a much-needed voice. Check out 180 the movie, embedded below.

First, a warning: There are graphic images from the holocaust in this film. They are censored, but still graphic. I do not recommend children watch this film.

Please pass the word along about this movie. For more info on it, check out 180movie.com

50 MILLION REMEMBERED — The Memorial to the Missing at the Baptist Building stands in mute testimony to the 50 million lives that have been lost to legalized abortion since 1973. Each penny in the Memorial represents one of the 50 million babies that has been killed since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down state abortion laws and opened the door to abortion nationwide during the entire nine months of pregnancy. (Photo by William H. Perkins Jr.)

The heading for Psalm 10 in the ESV reads, ‘Why Do You Hide Yourself?’ As I read through this Psalm the other morning, I couldn’t help but lament the millions of babies lost over the years before ever taking their first breath.

If there was ever a time for Christians to sing imprecatory psalms, it is when considering horrific photos like this one; when we come face to face with the reality of the consequences of the lawmakers, politicians, policy-makers, doctors, and propagandists who lead our people into such abominable sin.

Psalm 10

Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.
In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.
He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.
Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.

The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land.
O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Father, forgive me for not caring that you call yourself the ‘helper of the fatherless.’ Forgive me for not making a difference. Is my sin of silence–when I know better–not also an abomination in your sight?